Conveyer mechanism



July 2,'1946. A. .A. TUNLEY l v 2,403,249

' CONVEYER MEGHANISM n Filed May 9', 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 2,1945- A. A. TUNLEY v 2,403,249'

CONVEYER MECHANISM 4 I Filed May Q 1944 sheets-sheet :sA

z/zz/Zoz Patentedl July 2, 1946 CONVEYER MECHANISM Allan Ashmead Tunley, Peterborough, England,

assgnorto Baker Perkins Limited, Peterborough, England Application May 9, 1944, Serial No; 534,775 In Great Britain May 1943 (Cries-2o) 8 Claims.

This invention relates to endless band conveyers of canvas, wire mesh or other exible material', or of a flexible. nature, or comprising chains carrying or driving plaques or aprons, and is concerned with mechanism'of ther type ccmpri'si'ng" displaceable means for closing the gap between the adjacent ends of conveyers in series,V to facilitate the transfer of goods from one conveyer.v to another and for opening the gap periodically to permit an obstruction to pass between the conveyer ends.

The invention may be applied in connection with a plaque conveyer, such as employed in the chocolate industry', wherein thek plaques have traction rods which project on either side of the conveyer and which have to be passed through the gap between adjacent conveyers when the goods carried on the plaques are stripped therefrom and transferred tothe adjoining conveyer and when they are drawn to the upper side of the conveyer to receive goods from another conveyer such as an enrober conveyer.

The invention may also be used in conjunction with a conveyer which has cross battens or partitions or ribs for positioning thek goods or preventing their sliding upon an inclined conveyer.

The plaque traction rods and the cross battens or` ribsY mentioned above may be. conveniently reerred to as the obstructions The invention has for its object the provision of improved' and simplified displacement means for opening and closing the gap between the adjacent ends of conveyers operating in series, which have the advantage of being more or less silent in operation andv avoid the employment of reciprocating parts with their attendant disadvantages.

The invention consists in the provision of displaceable gap closing and opening means in the form. of a rotary bridge piece of a shape in crosssection such that in one rotational position it presents a surface which serves to bridge the gap between the conveyers, while in another rotational position the gap is opened to permit the passage of an' obstruction from one lap to the other of the conveyer.

The: invention further comprises a rotary bridge piece of the above character whereinr the rotation of the bridge piece is effected by the action ofthe obstruction itself.

According to an alternative arrangement, mechanical means are provided' to impart periodic rotation` to the bridge piece in synchronism with the arrival of obstructions at the junction be: tween the adjacent conveyers.. Y

.The bridge piece may verse bar or member of triangular, square, or an elongated rectangular cross-section, each member having its rotational axis located to pass through or near the centre of gravity thereof.

Locking means are ipreferably provided' for temporarily holding the members` in the bridging position, such locking means being conveniently in the form of searsor latches having lever arms or parts which lie in thek path of the'v obstructions so that the arrival of an obstruction automatically unlocks the bridge piece and subsequently, according to the preferred mode, causes. its rotationr to allow theobstruction to pass.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figures 1 and 2 are elevation andtplan respectively of the invention as applied to the feed end of a pla-que. conveying plant as described in U. S'. Patent specication Serial Number 463,554,1iled October 27, 1942.

Figures 3, 4 and 5 show the application of. the invention in a modied form tov the discharge end of a matching apparatus as described in U. S. Patent No. 2,363,211, Figure 3 being a side elevation, Figure 4 being a sectional elevation on line 4-4 of Figure 3, and Figure 5 being a sectional plan lpartly on line 5-5 of Figure 3.

In carrying the invention into eiect according to one convenient mode as applied to a plaque conveying plant for receiving chocolate coated goods from an enrober and subsequently strip-V ping the goods from the plaques and transferring them to a packing or other conveyer, as described for example in U. S. Patent` specification Serial Number 463,554, filed October 27, 1942', in which exible plaques are drawn over a table I at the feeding end of the conveyer path the end 2 of the plaque supporting table. I adjacent to the end of the enrober wire vconveyer 3 has a rotary bridge piece 4 positioned adjacent the terminal chain or guide wheels 5 of the plaque conveyingchains 6. The bridge piece 4 is adapted to be rotated for' opening the gap 1 to perm-it' the passage of the traction rods 8 of the plaques between the table I and the conveyerv3 and also for introducing a bridging surface or support for substantially closing the gap whi-le the goods are being transferred from the enrober conveyer 3 to the plaques as they are drawn upwardly over the bridge piece and onto the table I.

The bridge piece 4 comprises a bar of elongated rectangular form in cross section disposed transversely of the conveyer path and provided' with.

be in the form of atransrounding the terminal Wheels 5.

what after the fashion of a two-Winged revolving door and when it is lying horizontally the gap between the conveyer 3 and the table I is substan- 1 tially closed and the upper surface of the bridge l piece serves as an extension cfthe table I over which the plaques pass when travelling at the upper side of the conveyer path. The corners of I the rectangular bridge piece 4 are radiussed so that the plaques may ber conveniently bent and j drawn thereover in passing from the lower lap f on to the table l'associated with the upper lap.

. of the conveyer.

When the bridge piece 4 is rotated it passes to i a vertical position in which the gap between the conveyers is opened, thereby permitting the tracl tion chains B to draw the plaque traction rod 8 l upwardly through the gap.; rThe continued rotaytion ofthe bridge piece 4 turns the opposite face of the elongated rectangle into a position in which vitY Ylies horizontallyY in extension of the l plaque table I to takerthe place of th'e bridge sur- `face which has just vacated this position. As lthe chains 6 continue to drive the plaque rod 8 :forward .the flexible body Il of the plaque is l'drawn ,over the radiussed corner of the bridge zpiece' 4 and as it emerges on to the face of the `bridge piece it is progressively fed 1 from the enrober conveyer 3.

with' goods On the ends of the bridge piece 4 at each side i of thetrunnions 9 and slightly off the centre line g of the rectangle, locking pins I2 project, the locking pins at each end nbeing adapted to be alter- Each beneath the lingers I6 their ends contact therewith and oscillate the sears I3,` causing their recesses or detents I to disengage the locking pins `I2, thus freeing the bridge piece 4 for'rotation. As the upward movement of the plaque traction `rod Stcontinuesthey abut against the underside `*ofthe bridge piece 4 and turn it about its pivots v I9 so that-it is reversed while'theplaque traction :rods are drawn on to the plaque table at the `upper side of the conveyer. A stop 23 is provided for limiting the movement of the sears in'th'e ilocking position by engagement of the finger I6 therewith. The sears are returned to and held in the locking position by springs 24 engaging a short arm 25 on the sears. When the `bridge piece is turnedl over and arrives at the horizontalV position the appropriate locking pin I2 engages an inclined surface 26 on the arm I4 of the scar to move it aside after which it snaps into the locking position by the spring.

The plaque rods 8 are guided in their travel in grooves I1 in theside frames of the machine, which groovesterminate in 'a cam path I8 sur- V The cam path `is provided with a downwardly inclined part I9 providing a hump V2li to ensure the bridge piece pass through the centre of gravity of the bridge l piece.V The rectangular bridge piece 4 acts somevided with spaced dogs 22 adapted toengage and bar which in cross section is an equilateral triangle, the angles or corners of which Y are radiussed to facilitate the smooth bending and stripping of the plaque.

Thus referring to Figures 3, 4 and 5 which illustrate the triangular shaped bridging piece applied to a batch forming machine as disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 2,363,211 comprising flexible plaques conveyed over a table by side chains, the triangular bridging bar 21 is located between the discharge end of the plaque supporting table 28 and the lreceiving conveyer 29. The triangular bar is provided with bushed recesses 30, to receive stub shafts 3| supported on bearing plates 32 and has locking means in th'e form of a pivoted depending catch 33 adapted to engage lthe rounded corners 34 of the triangular member in turn and be disengaged when the ends of the plaque traction rods 35 contact therewith in their path cf travel. The plaque rods 35 are guided around the discharge end by the guiding surface or groove 36 in the side frame3l of the machine and are driven by dogs 3S on traction chains 39 which pass around terminal Wheels 411.Y j According to this form it will be appreciated that the facets of the triangular barl 2l in turn are rotated by engagement of the plaque rods 35 into positions in which they function as extensions of the plaque table 28 at the discharge'end of the conveyer. It Will be appreciated that as the rotational axis is'at the centre of the triangular form the bar 2l willvbe turned into a position in which the difference between the lesser radius normal to a facet .and the radius to the corners of the bar provides a clearance through which the traction rod` 35 of a plaque can pass from the upper lap to the lower lap of the conveyer, while during the progress of the rod the bridge piece 2l continues to turn and presents a yfresh facet to the horizontal position where it is locked by the latches 33. The latches are held in their locking position by springs 4I.

The sequence of operations is similar to that already described in reference to the rectangular` bridge piece, namely as a plaque traction rod 35 arrives at the discharge position itsends knock aside the locking latches 33, freeing the bridge piece 2'1, and in further progress the endscf the traction rod bear upon vthe nose of the bridge piece adjacent to the receiving conveyer 29 and cause the bridge piece to turn about its axis, in which operation the gap opens and permits the traction rod to pass downwardly to the lower lap of the l conveyer. In turning, the next following nose v or radiussed corner of the triangular piece 2l is 4 `being moved by the plaque rods 8 to the horiturned into the position occupied by the nose which has just been depressed, and the bridge piece is locked in this position, while the body of" the plaque is drawn over the noseto strip the-goods from the plaque as they are transferred to the receiving conveyer 29. ItV will be appreciated that a triangular bridge piece may be used at the feed end of the machine if desired.

In applying the invention to battened For ribbed conveyers, the battens or ribs are extended upon eitherl side of the conveyer so'that they 'occupy positions similar to the ends of the plaque traction rods described above and are adapted to operate in the same manner upon the latches and bridge pieces to cause the unlockingv and rotation of the bridge pieces.

I claim:

1. Conveyer mechanism comprising endless conveyers arranged in series and having adjacent iixed terminal points separated by a space, through which a plaque bar is adapted to pass, means for closing and opening said space, comprising a vbridge piece mounted in said space for rotation about a stationary axis, the cross sectional shape of said bridge piece being such that in one position it presents a surface which bridges said space, while when rotated to another position suiicient opening is provided to permit said plaque bar to pass through said space, and means for successively rotating the bridge piece to said positions.

2. Conveyer mechanism comprising endless conveyers arranged in series and having adjacent xed terminal points separated by a space, through which a plaque bar is adapted to pass, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bridge piece has a surface lying in the path of the plaque bar, with which the plaque bar is adapted to engage, whereby rotation of the bridge piece to open the gap is effected by pressure of the plaque bar against said surface.

3. Conveyer mechanism comprising endless conveyers arranged in series and having adjacent xed terminal points separated by a space, through which a plaque bar is adaptedto pass, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bridge piece comprises a bar having a rectangular cross sectional shape presenting long and short surfaces for closing and opening the gap respectively.

4. Conveyer mechanism comprising endless conveyers arranged in series and having adjacent iixed terminal points separated by a space, through which a plaque bar is adapted to pass, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bridge piece comprises a bar having cross sectional shape comprising. an equilateral triangle, the closing of the gap being effected when a face lies uppermost and horizontal.

5. Conveyer mechanism comprising endless conveyers arranged in series and having adjacent iixed terminal points separated by a space, through which a plaque bar is adapted to pass,

6 as claimed in claim 1, lwherein rmeans are provided for locking the bridge piece in the gap closing position. v

6. Conveyer mechanism comprising endless conveyers arranged in series and having adjacent Y xed terminal points separated by a space, through which a plaque bar is adapted to pass, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bridge piece comprises a bar of rectangular cross section, pins projecting from one end of the bar on both sides of the axis of rotation, a pivotally mounted sear adapted to successively engage the pins when the bar is in the bridging position, said sear being spring pressed and having an armiv lying in the path of the plaque bar which is adapted to pass through the gap, the arrangement being such that the plaque bar in its travel engages'with said arm to unlock the sear and `then engages the adapted to engage an apex of said triangle whenl the bar is inthe bridging position, said latch` being spring pressed and lying in the path of the plaque bar which is adapted to passl through the gap, the arrangement being' such that the plaque bar in its travel engages the latch to remove it from its locking position and then engages the bar to rotate it to open the gap. l

8. Conveyer Imechanism comprising an endless Conveyer having a terminal point, a receiving means adjacent said terminal point but spaced therefrom, said Conveyer having transverse plaque bars adapted to travel around said terminal point and through the space, means for opening and closing said space comprising a rotatably mounted transverse bridging bar located in said space, means having cam grooves located at the sides of said Conveyer adjacent the terminal point, and into which grooves the ends of the plaque bar are adapted to project, said grooves being shaped tocause the plaque bars to contact with the bridging bar to rotate it to the bridgingV 

